When designers from all over India gathered to celebrate the magic of desi fashion

Ministry of Textiles hosted a grand fashion show in the Capital with 26 of India's leading designers.

The Ministry of Textiles, and its minister Smriti Zubin Irani, have taken up the mission to promote Indian handloom in a way that has perhaps never been done before.

This Tuesday evening, they hosted a gala fashion show with Minister of State, Ajay Tamta and IMG Reliance at the National Handicrafts and Handlooms Museum - fondly known as the Crafts Museum - where 26 of India's leading fashion designers presented the magic of desi fashion.

The event was held in honour of the upcoming 'Textiles India 2017' show, the first ever global B2B Textile and handicrafts event in India. Supporting the 'Fibre to Fashion' goal, each designer presented two ensembles from their recent collections to showcase the vast heritage of traditional techniques. While conventional craftsmanship ranged from block printing like ajrakh and dabu, to chikankari, bandhini and mirror work, an equal emphasis on the modern usage of fabrics and styling was evident in the show. The styles were curated keeping in mind both comfort and festivity. While Wendell Rodricks presented flowy malkha cotton dresses with a modernist twist, Anuj Bhutani played with jute through boxy silhouettes for men with kurtas, trousers and jackets. Meanwhile, Anuradha Pegu presented elegant cream coloured saris and metallic blouses made from Assam muga and eri silk, and Suket Dhir showcased sportychic looks with his trademark ombre and bomber jackets through ikat and kasuti embroidery on digi-printed and handmade cashmere wool.

Photo: Mail Today

Speaking with Lifestyle, Dhir shared, "I tried to show a coming together of handloom and mill-made clothes, new technology married to the old heritage. Traditionally they are rivals but I think they go hand in hand - I think magic will start happening once technology is applied to our craft and the textiles."

Couturier Manish Malhotra took to pastel hues this summer with a floor-length anarkali and achkan treated to chikankari from Mijwan, while Sabyasachi offered a bridal treat with ample zardosi on the lehengacholi and bandhgala.

Sabyasachi said, "I rarely see events in India where a lot of Indian designers come together to support the back end and craftsmen and other fellow weavers - this is the spirit of true democracy," adding, "I think India needs to slowly start realising that luxury can only be created from a point of arrogance and not subjugation. It's important for Indians to feel good about India, and the show was about that."

A lehenga-choli creation by Sabyasachi. Photo: Mail Today

Apart from the nod to the past, a look at the future was welcome. Amit Aggarwal presented two glamourous yet futuristic ensembles made from upcycled patola saris, while Manish Arora played with plastic butterflies on his whimsical kitsch gowns. Other designers who presented at the show were Abraham & Thakore, Chaman Premji, Good Earth, Hemant Agarwal, Kaleekal, Masaba Gupta, Madhu Jain, Rajesh Pratap Singh, Rahul Misra, Rimzim Dadu, Sanjay Garg, Samant Chauhan, Shades of India - Mandeep Nagi, Sunita Shankar, and Tarun Tahiliani.

Photo: Mail Today

Fashionistas who have a soft corner for traditional textiles should block their calendars from June 30 to July 2 this year, as the landmark event will take place during those dates at Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar.